Packaging of tubular articles



Aug. 3, 1965 c. GOLENPAUL ETAL 3,198,329

PACKAGING OF TUBULAR ARTICLES V Filed July 22, 1955 E 4 WML mi G.--,-w:,...ww|.l @uf im", F WE f/ 7 .V1 Q/o O/ d G 2 MZZ/ Q /Y 0 (fl W0 O7 Q j 0 9@ 2 llmw 1 0 m F m 610 MG ,/w

United States Patent O 3,198,329 PAClA-.GENG @il TUBULAR ARTECLESCharles Golenpaul and Murray De La Fuente, New hedford, lli/lass.,assignors to Acrovox Corporation, New Redford, Mass., a corporation ofMassachusetts Filed duly 22, 1953, Ser. Filo. 2%,666 1 Claim. (Cl. 20ddThis invention relates to the art of packaging, more particularly to acradle for tubular units such as tubular capacitors or the like, havingopposed outwardly extending leads.

lt is among the objects of the invention to provide a cradle for aplurality of tubular units of the above type which will serve tomaintain the units in a secure, relatively fixed position within ashipping carton so as to prevent damage thereof, and which Will permitready viewing of the units supported in the cradle so that any indiciaappearing on the unit indicative of its characteristics may be observed,and which will protect the leads and prevent them from being bent orother-wise damaged and at the same time permit testing of the capacitorwithout removal from the cradle.

A further object of the invention is to provide a cradle of the abovetype which may be readily fabricated of simple sheet stock, land inwhich the articles to be packaged may be readily positioned with minimumeffort or skill, thus minimizing cost.

According to one embodiment of the invention, the cradle is formed froma rectangular sheet of stock which may be of cardboard, or the likerelatively inexpensive material which is scored along its center topermit the sheet to be folded over upon itself. Each half of the foldedsheet is provided with a central -aperture dimensioned to accommodatethe desired number of tubular units to be packaged, the apertures beingaligned when the sheet is folded. Each aperture is preferablyrectangular in configuration with an area substantially equal to thecross sectional area of the plurality of units to be accommodated takenalong a plane through the longitudinal axes of the plurality of unitswhen positioned in side by side relation. Extending into each aperture,preferably on all four sides thereof are flaps which are formed `byscoring fold lines adjacent the boundaries of the aperture, and cutlines diagonally at the corners thereof. These flaps are designed to bebent out of each aperture when the sheet halves are folded over theplurality of units, with the flaps frictionally engaging the side andend walls of the units to be accommodated. Access apertures are arrangedon either side of the central apertures and are aligned with the axis ofthe tubular units along which the leads normally extend so that theleads of the units are exposed and available for testing.

In the accompanying drawings in which are shown one or more of variouspossible embodiments of the several fcatures of the invention,

FIG. l is a perspective View of a cradle showing the tubular capacitorsarranged therein,

FIG. 2 is a top plan View of the blank from which the cradle of FIG. lis formed,

HG. 3 is a sectional View taken on line 3-3 of FIG. 1, and

FIG. 4 is a plan view of a cradle according to another embodiment of theinvention.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, like numerals in thevarious figures will be employed to designate like parts.

As best shown in FG. 1, the cradle 9 is formed from a blank or sheet 1liof stock material such as cardboard, paper board, sheet plastic, or thelike. For most situations, the rectangular con-figuration will bepreferred so Edi-i332@ Patented Aug. 3, 1965 as to implement insertionof the package into conventional shipping containers, such as boxes orthe like. It will be understood, however, that a variety of differentshapes may be employed embodying the instant inventive concept. Theblank 1d from `which the package 1s formed, as shown in FIG. 2, isscored to .provide a central fold line 13 forming two plates 11 and 12.Each of the .plates is formed with a rectangular aperture 15 which isdimensioned to receive the units to be accommodated. in the case ofelongate cylindrical members such as tubular capacitors C, it will beunderstood that each of the apertures 15 is substantially equal in areato the cross sectional arca of the plurality of units to beaccommodated, taken along a plane through the longitudinal axes of theplurality of units when positioned in side by side relation. Thus, yasviewed in the drawings, where live capacitors are shown, the total areaof each aperture 15 is equal to the total cross sectional area throughthe ve packaged capacitors in a side by side array. Cut lines 16, 17,`13 and 19 are extended diagonally from the corners of each aperture 15,and score lines 2l), 2:1, 22 and 23 are formed at the boundary of eachaperture 15 so as to define flaps 24, 25, 2d and 27 extending into theaperture 15.

in order to provide access .to the terminal leads 31 of the capacitorsC, in the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIGS. 1 to 3, aplurality of access apertures 3i? are provided `in each plate 11, 12,illustratively circular. To implement fabrication, it is preferred thatthe apertures 3@ are formed a distance one from the other suHicientlygreat to prevent inadvertent tearing of the stock during format-ion orsubsequent handling of the blank. More particularly, in the illustratedembodiment, a staggered relationship between the apertures 30 isemployed.

ln the embodiment of the invention illustrated in FIG. 4, the accessapertures have been modified by employing elongate slits all extendingover the area to be viewed. Slits 3d 'are preferably formedsimultaneously with the formation of the anticle receiving aperture 15which is identical to that previously described in connection with theembodiment of FIGS. 1 to 3.

The use, with the blank 1li in open position as shown in FIG. 2, thetubular capacitors, for example, are laid in `the aperture 15 of plate11, `for example, in side by side relation with suiicient capacitorsarranged within the aperture 15 so as to completely fill the areathereof. The capacitors are positioned so that the leads 3d thereofextend over the longitudinally aligned pairs of access apertures 3d `inplate 11 and the capacitors are inserted with suiiicient force so aS todisplace outwardly the engaging flap-s 24, 25, 26 and 27 of plate 111.Thereafter, plate 12 is folded over the plate 11 along score line 13- sothat the aperture 1S of plate 12 will be aligned with aperture 1:'3 ofplate 11 .and the plate 12 is forced down over the capacitors so the theflaps of the aperture 15 of plate 12 will `be displaced outwardly in adirection opposite that of the flaps of plate 11 as best shown in FIG.3.

Thereupon, conventional fastening means such as staples S or the likemay be employed to retain the plates 11, 112 together.

As a result of the oppositely extending flaps, which react against thecapacitors, the latter will be dependably retained in position.

It will be noted that any identifying indicia imprinted on thecapacitors will be readily accessible to view and access for testing theindividual capacitors without need for removal from the cradle isprovided through access apertures Sii.

A similar mode of oper-ation is employed in conneci vll/ith theembodiment of the invention illustrated in sible t-o View foridentification and testing with the terminal leads thereof safeguardedfrom injury, and as the aps will yield, it is apparent that withinlimits, different lengths of capacitors may be accommodated.

As many changes could be made `in the above constructions, and many.apparently widely different embodiments of this invention could be madeWithout departing from the Scope of the claim, it is inten-ded that allrna-tter contained in .the above description or shown in theaccompanying drawings shall be interpreted as illustrative Vand not in alimi-ting sense.

Having thus described our invention what We claim as new and desire tosecure by Lettens Patent of the United States is:

A capacitor package for a .plurality of capacitors of the tubular typehaving terminal leads extending axially from each end, compris-ing afirst plate having a central capacitor receiving aperture of lengthequal to the length of the capacitors packaged, and of Width equal tothe Width of the plurality of capacitors when arranged in side by siderelationship as measured diametnically thereacross, liaps extending intothe aperture in said first plate from an edge thereof, a second platearranged over said first plate, said second plate having an aperturedimensioned like the aperture in said first plate, and alignedtherewith, aps extending into the aperture in said second plate from anedge thereof, a plurality of capacitons positioned Within said apertureswith the flaps on said first plate lying against portions of saidcapacitors protruding beyond the plane of said first plate and the apson sai-d second plate lying against portions of said capacitorsprotruding beyond the plane of said second plate, whereby the Flaps onsaid second plate cooperate with the flaps on said first plate to retainthe capacitors in said article receiving apertures, means t-o retainsaid plates in juxtaposition and a plurality of spaced access aperturesarranged in said rst and second plates With said apertures aligned Withthe terminal leads extending from said capacitors.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,639,637 10/28Mordecai.

1,879,105 9/32 Corigliano 20G-45.31 X 2,645,339 7/53 Toy 206-5322,962,161 11/60 Lacy 20G-79 X 2,976,990 y3/ 61 Nevai 206-65 3,661,09110/ 62 Wichrnan 20G-*7S 3,130,833 4/64 Glasser 296-80 THERON E. CONDO'N,Primary Examiner.

GEORGE O. RALSTON, Examiner.

